1.
SUSTAINABLE LIVING TASMANIA Gardening Basics Gardening is one of the best ways to reduce our ecological footprint as well being an extremely rewarding and rejuvenating pastime. Most of our food is transported long distances and grown using harmful chemicals. Growing your own food and buying locally not only supports your local community but greatly reduces carbon emissions, saves money & is more nutritious. Water - Micro-sprays waste up to 70% of water through drift and evaporation-and if the soil Water is essential to all gardens. Tasmania is mulched, water will not penetrate through. has been blessed with higher rainfall than - Consider soaker hoses that deliver water toSustainable Living Information much of mainland Australia, but most food gardens still require some additional the roots of plants under mulch. watering. Using water efficiently and - Water pots and plants with low pressure on planting responsibly is the key to creating a the hose. The water should be running healthy, productive garden that minimises slowly, not on a spray, as this does not wastage of our precious freshwater supply. penetrate very deeply. - Add organic matter and compost to your - Try to reduce your lawn area. Consider soil. This not only adds valuable nutrients, extending mulched beds, using porous but enables the soil to hold more water. paving or a drought-tolerant lawn. If you do - Mulch your garden beds and pots. Up to have a lawn, cut it long over summer (8- 70% of water can be lost through 10cm) evaporation from the soil. - Go for a tough drought-tolerant grass like - Water in the cool of the evening and direct ‘Sir Water Buffalo’, a native grass such as the water to the plant root zone with long, Microlaena stipoides or a native infrequent watering. groundcover like Myoporum parvifolium for the front garden. - After you have watered, dig down to see how far it has penetrated – it should be at - Greywater from the bathroom or laundry is a least 10cm. Water the same area three great source of water that is available every times in the same morning or evening to day, though there are some health concerns. make sure the water soaks in. See sustainable living guide on ‘Greywater’. - Use local plants, they are suited to your - Check the weather forecast to avoid local soil and climate. Intersperse them watering before rain. with other plants with similar water requirements. Mulching Mulching not only reduces water loss, but - Group plants according to their water helps suppress weeds and can add nutrients to needs. the soil as it breaks down. Mulch should be - Check and clean you irrigation system applied about 8cm deep and topped up about every spring. once a year, depending on what type of mulch you use. Many different materials can be used - Have either a timer on your taps or shut- as mulch, from pea straw and hay to black off valves on your hoses to reduce plastic, depending on your needs. overwatering. Tasmanian Environment Centre Inc. trading as Sustainable Living Tasmania st 1 floor, 71 Murray St, Hobart, Tas 7000, Phone (03) 6234 5566, Fax (03) 6234 5543 Email info@sustainablelivingtasmania.org.au www.sustainablelivingtasmania.org.au

2.
Pests PermacultureBirds love nibbling at ripening fruits. The Permaculture (permanent agriculture) wasbest way to protect them is by netting your developed in Tasmania by Bill Mollison andtrees, strawberry plants, etc. Pre-recorded David Holmgren in the 1970s. Permaculturesounds, such as birds in distress calls, is a system for creating sustainable humanfrighten scavenging birds away. Hanging settlements by integrating design and ecology.CDs from stings in trees can help deter It is both a philosophy and holistic gardeningbirds. One can also try the age-old technique style, which mimics natural systems andof creating a scarecrow. embraces ideals of interconnectedness andMany gardeners promote the idea of self-sufficiency.planting sacrificial plants and/or companionplanting to deal with unwanted visitors. For Seedssmaller pests, some people suggest inter-planting garlic and/or marigolds amongst Saving your own seeds can save money andyour vegetables to repel insects. helps preserve local, organic plant strains. Seeds can last many years if properly stored.See Sustainable Living Information Sheet They keep best when stored in cool, dryon ‘Pests’ for more ideas. environments. It is said that seeds held at 15 degrees Celsius with 60% relative humidityFertilizer will last twice as long as those stored under normal household conditions. Easy ways toTasmanian soils are generally deficient in decrease temperature is to store in themany nutrients. Adding these can greatly refrigerator, under the house or along a darkimprove the health and fertility of your soil. south facing wall. To lower the relativeSteve Solomon suggests adding a blend of humidity, keep seeds in an airtight containerminerals and trace nutrients that he has with some silica gel to absorb any excessnamed, Complete Organic Fertilizer. This moisture.mixture contains:3 parts seedmeal Soil1 part blood and bone You could say building soil is the defining act1/2 part dolomite lime1/4 part agricultural lime of organic gardening. By regularly1/4 part gypsum (more in heavy clay soils) replenishing the nutrients your plants use, you1 part phosphate rock or guano keep the soil productive. By mixing organic1/2 part kelpmeal matter (preferably compost) into the soil whenever possible, you mimic Natures cyclesAdd this with a bit of organic material to of birth, decay, and rebirth. Ideal garden soiloptimise your garden’s health. is dark-colored, smells kind of sweet, compresses into a loose lump in your handComposting your kitchen scraps, shredded when moist, and is full of earthworms.paper, manures, lawn clippings, weeds andmany other items is a fantastic way to The three main constituents of soil are sand,reduce waste and feed your garden with lots silt and clay. Sand has the largest particles andof nutrition. Compost is an all-round soil clay has the smallest, which is why it packs sobuilder and plant tonic that can be made in tightly together. Silt particles are ofyour backyard at little cost and effort. intermediate size. An ideal garden soil, orSee Sustainable Living Information sheet on loam, would be about 40% sand, 40% silt andComposting for more information. 20% clay. The easiest way to see what type of Tasmanian Environment Centre Inc. trading as Sustainable Living Tasmania st1 floor, 71 Murray Street, Hobart, Tas 7000, Phone (03) 6234 5566, Fax (03) 6234 5543 Email info@sustainablelivingtasmania.org.au www.sustainablelivingtasmania.org.au

3.
soil you have is to dig a few holes and take Backyard Organic Gardeningsome samples. There are a number of simple http://home.vtown.com.au/~dbellamy/contents.htmltests you can do to determine the Originating from Hobart, this is a grassrootscomposition of soil. One method is to take a e-source for information about the basics offistful of soil and squeeze it into a ball. If it backyard organic gardening.is unable to hold its shape, your soil is ABC Gardening Australiaprobably too loose, or sandy. Now try to http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/break the ball apart by pressing on it withyour thumb. A good soil will break apart Garden for Wildlifereadily; if not, you http://www.gardensforwildlife.dpiw.tas.gov.auprobably have too much The Gardens for Wildlife scheme supports,clay in your soil. encourages and recognises people who wishAnother method is to to make their property friendly for localtake a couple of cups of wildlife and the environment.soil and put them in alarge jar half filled with Permaculture Association of Tasmaniawater. Agitate the http://www.permaculturetas.org/mixture until all the soil PAT organises public events, memberis in suspension and then meetings, field days, and workshops in orderlet it settle overnight. to share skills and knowledge.The next day you will Sustainable Living Tasmania - Environmentsee that three distinct layers have formed: Resource Library. 2nd floor, 191 Liverpoolsand at the bottom, then a layer of silt and Street, Hobart. (03) 6234 5566.clay at the top. SuppliersNative Gardens The Lost Seed – www.thelostseed.com.auPlanting natives, rather than exotics, in Local seed and seedling suppliers specializingornamental gardens has many benefits. in heirloom, open pollinated, chemical-freeNative plants require less water, are more and non hybrid varieties.resilient and are cheaper to buy. They alsotend to require minimal maintenance, so Woodbridge Fruit Trees –there is less work for the gardener. Perhaps PO Box 95, Woodbridge, 7162the best part of starting a native garden is www.woodbridgefruittrees.com.authat it provides habitat and food for our Growers of chemical-free, heirloom varietiesunique Tasmanian wildlife. of fruit and nut trees.Further information Plants of Tasmania Nursery - (03) 6239 1583 65 Hall Road, Ridgeway TAS 7054Growing Vegetables South of Australia – Huge range of Tasmanian Native Plants.Year ‘Round Tasmanian Food Gardening.By Steve Soloman Soil Health Services – (03) 6295 0605 Tests and improves soil for growing nutrientThe Seed Savers Handbook rich foods.By Michel and Jude FantonGrowing Australian Native Plants from July 2008Seed By Murray Ralph Tasmanian Environment Centre Inc. trading as Sustainable Living Tasmania1st Floor, 71 Murray Street, Hobart, Tas 7000, Phone (03) 6234 5566, Fax (03) 6234 5543 Email info@sustainablelivingtasmania.org.au www.sustainablelivingtasmania.org.au